January 26, 1901. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
349 
yellow margin, golden-yellow, with a crimson zone 
and so on. Sir Vindex is a good yellow, with a dark 
disc ; while General Wauchope is buff yellow, with 
a crimson centre. 
Phloxes have long been a leading feature of the 
collections here, a wide border being devoted to an 
extensive series of named varieties. Both the 
summer or early flowering, and the autumn or late 
flowering sections are extensively represented by the 
best named varieties. 
New varieties continue to be raised, a round half 
dozen having been put into commerce last year. 
The Queen is a soft pink flower of good form ; 
Shakespeare is rich magenta, edged with white ; 
Comet, white, suffused pink; Excellence, rosy 
magenta, with crimson eye ; Prince, silvery pink ; 
and Teviotside, rose, lightly flaked with crimson. 
The best of the new set is Mrs. Forbes, a pure white 
flower, of fine form, produced in large, pyramidal 
panicles. These early flowering varieties are all of 
dwarf habit. Older ones are also plentiful. 
The late Phloxes though past their best, were in 
many cases still flowering, particularly the seedlings, 
which were practically still in full bloom. The 
finest of the seedlings raised here bad been picked 
out and given distinctive names. Those we regarded 
as the best were Mrs. James Farquhar, salmon-rose 
with a white centre; James P. Robertson, large, 
deep rosy-purple, and floriferous; Mrs. Burn, large, 
orange-scarlet in gorgeous pyramidal masses; and J. 
Fraser, orange-scarlet, with a violet line round the 
pale eye, and in. across the pip. The plant itself 
was 2^ ft. high. 
A large number of the older varieties were still 
showing their distinctive characters and enabled us to 
compare their relative values. Handsome varieties 
were Acropole, carmine with a white centre ; Brilli¬ 
ant, carmine-salmon, and of compact habit ; 
Cameron, a very large flower of the modern type, 
and white with carmine centre; Amazon, pure 
white, with pale lemon anthers ; Sylphide, the best 
white, with large pyramidal panicle on a very short 
stem ; and popular with growers, Wm. Robinson, 
salmon; Tourbillon, bright carmine with white 
centre ; and John Forbes, pink with carmine eye and 
regarded as being yet one of the best of its colour. 
The orange-scarlet flowers of Etna appeal to the 
public generally, and is, of course, extensively culti¬ 
vated. The white centre of Fantome is surrounded 
by a clear violet band. Esperauce comes into the 
same category as the previous one, but the coloured 
zone is mauve. The huge lilac flowers of Derviche 
have a purple centre. Pretty also is Girondin, with 
a white centre surrounded with rosy carmine; the 
white centre of Comet is much larger. Fedora is of 
dwarf habit, with silvery-rose flowers. Le Siecle is 
salmon-rose with a lilac-white centre, and very 
pretty. The orange-salmon of Liberte deepens to 
carmine in the centre. Madame M. Carvalho may 
be described as creamy white, and the plant of dwarf 
habit as in the case of Massillon, which has huge 
mauve flowers and a carmine eye. 
The blue varieties stand out very conspicuously 
amongst a collection. The flowers of Iris are 
bluish-violet, fading to a clearer blue in the centre. 
Some might prefer the bronzy violet-blue of Le 
Mahdi. Either or both of them should be in every 
garden where Phloxes are admired. In the same 
category, but altogether distinct, is Paul Bert, 
having a dark violet centre to the lilac flowers. Of 
large and fine form are the carmine-magenta flowers 
of Zouave. Salmon-rose and silvery towards the 
margin are the large flowers of Mozart, which is 
moderately dwarf. Choice and handsome is Pan¬ 
theon, with its huge, rosy-salmon flowers. One of 
the best of its kind is Roxelane, with bright-eyed, 
dark carmine flowers. The rosy-salmon flowers of 
Regulus also appeal to the collector when looking 
through a collection for the finest things. 
-- 
Gardening Miscellany. 
FOOD VALUE OF FRUITS. 
In recent years fruit growing has assumed great 
commercial importance in many regions of the United 
States, especially in the south and on thePacificCoast. 
Canada has also largely added to her orchard area. 
The activity and progress in this industry has 
brought experimental stations largely into vogue, and 
the business of these stations is to find out everything 
that is worth knowing by the practical cultivator, 
exporter, and salesman of fruits. Many stations 
have reported analysis of fruits ; and it is interesting 
to compare the composition of these fruits, fresh and 
dried, with each other, and with some of the staple 
articles of diet. The stone fruit group, viz , Peaches, 
Apricots, Plums, Cherries, and Prunes, are general 
favourites. But fruits are valuable for other reasons 
than the nutriment which they contain. They 
furnish acids and other bodies which are believed by 
physiologists to have a beneficial effect on the 
system, and doubtless very often stimulate the 
appetite for other food. They are also useful in 
counteracting a tendency to constipation. Another 
point, and one entirely apart from food value, is, 
that fruits add very materially to the attractiveness 
of the diet .—The Farmer (American). 
TREATMENT OF DISEASES AND 
INJURIOUS INSECTS. 
At the Royal Horticultural Society’s meeting held 
in the Drill Hall, Westminster, on Tuesday, January 
15th, the secretary, Rev. W. Wilks, M A., read a 
paper that had been sent from Geneva, U S A., by 
Professor Beach. The title of the essay was 
“ Recent developments in the treatment of diseases 
injurious to orchard crops.” Mr. Wilks explained, 
after he had sat down, that he had not read all of 
the paper, but that the full text of it would appear in 
the journal of the R.H.S. Mr. A. Dean occupied 
the chair. The essay began by saying that during 
the last quarter of a century a great many new 
fungicides and insecticides had come into use. It is 
not surprising that former gardeners had not 
bequeathed to us many insecticides for diseases, and 
pests were less in vogue in past days. Paris Green 
was introduced thirty years ago, and spraying 
machines to use the mixture were soon invented. 
The Potato disease was the cause of its introduction, 
for it had been discovered with delight that this pig¬ 
ment of paint (Paris Green) could poison out the 
disease fuogus without sterilising the soil. It is but 
little more than fifteen years ago that the power of a 
mixture of copper-sulphate and lime would prevent 
mildew and such-like fungus attacks became known. 
This mixture first originated at Bordeaux, in France, 
and since then there have been many imitations, but 
none have surpassed the true Bordeaux Mixture. The 
latte^, however, has not been used with success 
against bacterial diseases; potassium sulphide has 
given better results in this connection. Bordeaux 
Mixture is efficacious in all cases where insects 
attack the host plant through the leaves. The cost 
of treatment for the prevention of fungus diseases 
was said to be cheaper when a mixture of potassium 
sulphide and the Bordeaux was applied. Speaking of 
arsenical poisons, prominent among the substitutes 
to Paris Green, was the Green arsenate of copptr, 
which is used pound for pound in place of the Paris 
Green in some places. It is found to be cheaper and 
better for spraying, being an amorphous powder and 
stays longer in a liquid state. The introduction of 
arsenate of lead was due to the ravages of the Gipsy 
Moth, which appeared in Massachusetts not many 
years ago. The experiments in the latter American 
State have established this arsenate as one of the 
best insecticides. Its colour shows where it has 
been sprayed, and it remains well in solution. 
Kerosene emulsion was recommended for all insects 
with sucking mouths, such as scales, aphides, &c. 
There are now machines which make the emulsion 
at the same time as the spraying is performed. 
Various apparatuses were used for spraying Paris 
Green over field crops at its first introduction, and 
to see many of the old patents now would be like 
viewing an exhibition of old armoury. 
Such diseases as Peach yellows, little Peaches, 
and New York canker were still complete mysteries, 
and could only be overcome by burning the trees 
entirely. Progress is being made in the study of 
Root Rot in orchard trees. 
Upon the conclusion of this resume of the progress 
made in the recent treatment of orchard diseases 
and pests, a Fellow asked whether Prof. Beach 
had mentioned the use of a pure nicotine solution. 
Rev. W. Wilks said it was not referred to in the 
paper, and he thought it could not be much used in 
America. Another Fellow mentioned the fact of 
his having seen copper-sulphate used without the 
lime as a spraying mixture for orchard trees in 
Canada during winter. The Bordeaux Mixture, 
however, was used when the leaves were on the 
trees. The use of hydrocyanic gas for disinfecting 
fruit trees was also noticed. 
,-r—J-- 
SEASONABLE HINTS. 
Conservatory. —The conservatory at present is 
largely supplied with forced bulbous plants, with 
Azaleas, Astilbe japonica, Spiraea astilboides, Cin¬ 
erarias, Cyclamen, Primulas, Peristrophes, and a 
few hard-wooded plants not so well known as the 
Azaleas. Those who take note of the more graceful 
half-hardy annuals will have batches of a few of 
these coming into flower. It but requires one to 
observe the different species during summer to be 
convinced of the suitability of many of them for pot 
work in early spring or late winter decorative uses. 
The Schizanthus is one of the best annuals in this 
connection, and one which I think is fairly well 
appreciated now-a-days. 
Another good lit tie annual that will flo wer in a 
short while as a pot plant is Alonsoa Warscewiczii, 
with crimson-red racemes. The Monkey Flower, 
Mimulus cardinalis, is also most handsome and easy 
to cultivate. Such other subjects as Browallia 
speciosa major, which, however, is truly a green¬ 
house annual and not quite hardy; Balsams, Mig¬ 
nonette, Sweet Peas, Verbena vernosa, Brachycome 
iberidifolia, Rhodanthe—otherwise named Heliptrum 
—Salpiglossis and Petunias might also be mentioned 
for they can be had ia health and beauty from 
February (or earlier in some cases) till the summer 
flowers open out of doors. It would be well if some 
of these plants were oftener grown under pot treat¬ 
ment purposely to brighten the display at this 
season of the year. 
At this time the Palms and graceful Phyllostachys 
may require to be top-dressed or repotted, une 
hesitates to take them away from the conservatory 
at a time such as this when they are so much 
required, but if they are to be kept in a healthy 
growing condition this is the time to do the shifting 
or top-dressing, and after the operation it is to the 
good of the plants to place them for a month or six 
weeks in a stove till they have re-established them¬ 
selves. Mhen biringing these foliage plants back 
from the warm house to the much cooler conserva¬ 
tory, it is necessary to avoid chills, delays or 
draughts, and they should be placed in the cosiest 
parts of the conservatory till the better weather 
comes on. 
In the stove the potting that is usually performed 
after the turn of the year will now be engaging 
attention. The idea that stove plants should not be 
potted till this time of year, however, is bad. The 
work is done now simply because growth and 
activity in the roots has started, or may soon start, 
and there is little else to keep one busy in the houses 
at this time. But to keep plants in vigour they may 
have to be potted much earlier or later; sometimes 
oftener than the annual shift or topdressing, or again 
in the case of established plants, such as Eucharis, 
Gardenias, and one or two other things, perhaps only 
once in a year or two, relying on liquid-feeding to 
sustain them. 
One should be at pains to crock well, pot well, to 
use the best sort of compost, and to perform the 
operation of potting at the proper time is pointed 
out. The proper season for potting has been always 
upheld to be (in the case of dormant stock) just 
before new action begins. When the roots of 
Orchids are observed to be on the move, as we gar¬ 
deners say, this is the time to do any shifting or top¬ 
dressing that they may require ; and similarly with 
Anthuriums and other Aroids, as well as other 
classes of plants where the signs point to a new 
activity having started. 
The present is also a good time of year to divide 
the Aspidistras ; and to propagate Ficus elastica, or 
take the tops from those Araucarias that have 
become too tall. These tops strike in 4-in. or 5-in. 
pots if given a little bottom-heat. Young Ferns of 
all sorts, as well as edging plants, Musk, Fuchsias, 
&c., can be looked out either for pricking off, as in 
the case of the Ferns, or for starting to get cuttings 
from, as is the case with Fuchsias. Seeds of 
Tomatos for indoor planting, of Melons and Cucum¬ 
bers, and of Carrots, Radishes, Onions, Cabbages, 
and Parsley should now be sown. Carrots and 
Radishes may be sown where Potatos are being 
forced. —Argus. 
